Enjoying the weekends is tricky for me. After a long week, I’m not sure if I have the energy to go out for adventures during the weekend. But, even the idea of staying home and doing nothing is off-putting. I’m never sure if I want to rest or if I am restless. While debating between the two this weekend, I picked adventure by heading to La Camera! by TOTÓ to experience their collab with Hugo Boss. And to my surprise, the night became a bit of both.
Tucked in Hotel Boulevard, Autograph Collection, I was greeted with smiles, dim lights, and black and white photos of Italian life etched across the bar. My date for the night was my girl friend who loves her lip oils and loves her fragrances even more. So while I was soaking in the ambience, she made a beeline for the Hugo Boss stand.
The collaboration was to highlight Hugo Boss’ unisex fragrance collection named The Collection. Hence why the stand held all the perfumes to try out, categorised into Day and Night scents. My particular favourite from the collection was Wild Violet, a powdery leather scent with a violet accord. Other standouts were Passionate Chypre, a woody-earthy scent with a cherry accord, Courageous Rose, a spicy rose scent, Fearless Pepper, a spicy, mineral scent, and Exhilarating Vanilla, an Oriental vanilla fragrance that reminds me of Christmastime.
After giving our noses a treat, we were escorted to the bar to try their special drinks menu. With mocktail options as well, each drink was inspired by The Collection’s bestsellers. Smoke & Seal was inspired by Exhilarating Vanilla. Made with a smoky base with hint of vanilla and spiced cardamom, this drink was sweet, spicy, and smooth with a bitter aftertaste, which I personally loved.
Crimson Bloom was inspired by Fearless Pepper and had a base mixed with apple and lime, topped with saffron-chamomile soda. Garnished with a seaweed leaf, the drink was zesty and sour but refreshing.
The final drink, Violet Thorn, was inspired by Wild Violet. Garnished with a flower, this purple drink was crafted with violet, cherries, and lemon. A citrusy sweet drink, it immediately became my date’s favourite. With each drink, we were instructed to smell the inspired scent first and then take a sip. Violet Thorn and Crimson Bloom tasted just like their scent counterparts, but Smoke & Seal both tasted and smelled like Exhilarating Vanilla. The resemblance was uncanny as they blended into one.
As I spoke to George Boulos, La Camera!’s award-winning bartender and creator of the cocktails, I learnt more about mixology and George’s process for the final three drinks. “It was a process of trial and error,” he said. “I had to continuously refer to the scents, smelling them as I created each drink. Overall, there must have been about ten versions of each drink before I reached the final drink.”
After our olfactory and gastronomical experience, we finally sat down to dinner. Our two courses were selected by the head waiter, Roman, who served us with a side dish of Italian charm. For our antipasti, we had the classic burrata sitting on a bed of pesto and tomatoes. Topped with a drizzle of olive oil, the dish was fresh, sweet, and a welcome start to our dinner.
Our second dish was Tartare di Manzo, beef tartare with a Parmesan cream. Nuts added an unexpected but welcome crunch to the overall soft and creamy dish, and with that, we were ready for our main course: Ravioli di Brasato. Stuffed with braised beef and topped with parmesan shavings, the dish was rich with a strong umami flavour thanks to the parmesan. The finale was the softest, lightest Tiramisu. It was the perfect mix of sweet and bitter that reminded me of a hot mocha.
We ate facing the stage that held a four-man ensemble and two singers that filled the space with jazz and Latin classics. At the heart of Downtown Dubai, I was transported to Milan, discussing which fragrance was best over a shared plate of tiramisu to the tune of Fly Me To The Moon. And in that moment, I knew I had reached the in-between. With what I struggle with every weekend, at La Camera!, I achieved both rest and excitement with ease.
The Hugo Boss x La Camera! by TOTÓ experience will take place every Friday and Saturday from 9 PM to 3 AM till July 31st, 2025, at Hotel Boulevard, Autograph Collection, Downtown Dubai.
